Bucket attachment for mine shaft excavations



y 1952 E. J.DONALD 2,597,711

BUCKET ATTACHMENT FOR'MINE SHAFT EXCAVATIONS Filed Sept. 10, 1948 /4 //FIG4 ,e/ 25 H W FIGS f f FIG 3 zdvzrfigfwd.

Apertures E are provided in each wing substantially towards the bucket mouth 6, for the engagement of the excavating assembly collectively designated 7 as will hereinafter be described. The upper and lower right hand wings 3 and 4, with reference to the accompanying drawings, are provided with leaf springs 9 riveted thereto medially along the length thereof and situated adjacent the inner surface I of the wings. The engaging pins II extend outwardly from the distal ends of the leaf springs and are in registration with the corresponding apertures in the wings through which they protrude under the normal bias action of the leaf springs.

The excavating assembly collectively designated I is removably attached to the b-ucketbody as will hereinafter be described, and comprises the scoop I2 having a curvature substantially similar to the lower perimetrical portion of the bucket-mouth, and being provided with the excavating teeth I3 on the leading edge thereof. Attached as by welding to the underside I4 and extending rearwardly therefrom are the lower engaging arms or tie-bars I5, the right-hand one of which is provided with the aperture I6 within the distal end thereof, and the left hand bar with a pin I1, designed for engagement with the corresponding wings 3 and 4. Pivotally attached to the sides I8 and the scoop and extending upwardly therefrom are the connecting links IS the upper ends of which engage with the outer ends 20 of the relatively short projecting lugs 2I. These lugs are formed upon the extremities 22 of the transverse bar 23 which has the bar actuating component 24 extending rearwardly and at right angles thereto medially along the length thereof. The relatively short upper engaging arms or tie-bars 25 depend from the transverse bar 23 substantially towards the outer ends 22 thereof, and are capable of registration with the upper pair of wings 3, the right-hand arm being provided with the aperture 25 and the left-hand arm with the engaging pin 21.

The conventional lifting chain 28 spans the bucket-mouth being connected thereto by means of the riveted eyes 29 and the rear wall 30 of the bucket is provided with the attaching eye 3| to which may be connected the drag chain 32 for the excavating operation, as will hereinafter be explained.

Having therefore described my invention in detail, its method of application will now be presented.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings shows the bucket I together with the excavating assembly I attached thereto and in the horizontal position for use as an excavating unit. In this context it is to be noted that in the appended claims the bucket is defined as being in position for horizontal or drag action loading, and when in this position as illustrated in Figure 1, the horizontal axis of the bucket (indicated by the reference character 33) extends between the entranceplane and the rear wall 30. The assembly I is attached to the bucket by engaging the pins 2'! and I1 within the corresponding apertures 5 of the upper and lower left-hand wings. The leaf springs 9, which normally exert an outward bias, should be moved inwardly, thereby allowing the apertures 26 and I 6 of the right-hand upper and lower tie-bars 25 and I5 respectively to come in registration with the aforementioned pins II. Release of the springs 9 will permit the pins II on the ends thereof to engage with the apertures 2B and I6 in the tie bars 25 and I 5, thus connecting the assembly to the bucket.

The bucket, together with the excavating assembly, may now be drawn backwards and forwards across the base of the mine shaft (not illustrated) by means of conventional block and tackle situated in the walls thereof connected to the lifting chain 28 and the drag chain 32. During this operation the scoop engages with the ground and may be elevated or lowered with relation thereto by movement of the bar actuating component 24 controlled by the operator who stands upon the upper surface of the bucket.

Reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings will show that if the component 24 is moved downwardly with relation to the bucket. the scoop I2 will be elevated through the medium of the aforementioned links I9 and 2I pivoting around the lower engaging pins II and I1. Conversely, movement of the component 24 in an upward direction away from the bucket will result in the scoop biting more deeply into the debris being excavated.

When the bucket I is full, the block and tackle chains may be disengaged whereupon the lifting chain 28 may be attached to the conventional hoist chain (not illustrated) controlled {from the top of the shaft. This will enable the bucket to be rotated so as to stand on end whereupon the excavating assembly 'I may be detached therefrom by disengaging the pins II from the upper and lower tie-bars which enables the pins 21 and H to be removed from their corresponding apertures.

The excavating assembly may then be fitted to an empty bucket which may then proceed to excavate while the first mentioned bucket is be ing elevated to the top of the shaft for disposal of the contents thereof.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claim without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a mine bucket wherein the axis from entrance plane to rear Wall is horizontal when the bucket is in operable position, for horizontal or drag action loading, a bucket-body and a scoop projecting therefrom, a pair of tie-bars extending between said bucket-body and said scoop to constitute adjustable attachment of said scoop to said bucket-body, said tie-bars being pivotally connected to said bucket-body, said scoop conforming substantially to the forward perimetri cal portion of the bucket mouth, means for dragging said bucket in the desired direction and means coacting between said scoop and said bucket-body for raising and lowering said scoop with respect to said bucket-body, said means for raising or lowering said scoop comprising a horizontal bar lying normal to the said bucket-body axis and mounted for rotation upon said bucketbody at a locus thereabove, said mounting including a pair of engaging arms depending from said horizontal bar and pivotally connected to said bucket-body, a bar actuating component secured for rotation medially along the length of said horizontal bar and overlying the bucket body, a pair of projecting lugs secured to said bar for rotation therewith, and a pair of down- Wardly extending links secured at their upper ends to said lugs and at their lower ends to said scoop, and means for selective attachment and detachment of said scoop and said raising and lowering means from said bucket including pins extending from one of said engaging arms engageable with said bucket-body and {rum one of said tie-bars engageable with said bucket body, and a pair of spring-loaded pins resiliently connected to said bucket-body and normally engaging the opposite engaging arm and the op- 10 posite tie-bar under the influence of said springloading.

EDWARD J. DONALD.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 774,431 Ireland Nov. 8, 1904 1,245,118 Moore Oct. 30, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain July 6, 1904 

